& from 2011http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110621093301.htmThe new study does not diminish the importance of caffeine to protect against Alzheimer's. Rather it shows that caffeinated coffee induces an increase in blood levels of a growth factor called GCSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor). GCSF is a substance greatly decreased in patients with Alzheimer's disease and demonstrated to improve memory in Alzheimer's mice. A just-completed clinical trial at the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute is investigating GCSF treatment to prevent full-blown Alzheimer's in patients with mild cognitive impairment, a condition preceding the disease. The results of that trial are currently being evaluated and should be known soon.

"Caffeinated coffee provides a natural increase in blood GCSF levels," said USF neuroscientist Dr. Chuanhai Cao, lead author of the study. "The exact way that this occurs is not understood. There is a synergistic interaction between caffeine and some mystery component of coffee that provides this beneficial increase in blood GCSF levels."....

"We believe moderate daily consumption of caffeinated coffee is the best current option for long-term protection against Alzheimer's memory loss. Coffee is inexpensive, readily available, easily gets into the brain, appears to directly attack the disease process, and has few side-effects for most of us."

I've toured the Byrd Institute, including the labs, with its director. He was like a proud little kid when he was showing off their brain slicing machine, which, surprisingly (because I get grossed out easily) was pretty cool. Very impressive facility overall. I might like to work there one day.

Neither my mother nor my grandfather were coffee drinkers and both wound up with AD even though they otherwise did a great job on staying healthy (good eating habits, exercise, etc). I had stopped drinking coffee in my late 30s when I gave up soda and meat. I started drinking coffee again when early studies suggested benefits against AD.

Hate to do it to ya, but...from 2006http://alzheimers.about.com/od/research/a/Coffee_Alz.htm& from 2011http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110621093301.htmThe new study does not diminish the importance of caffeine to protect against Alzheimer's. Rather it shows that caffeinated coffee induces an increase in blood levels of a growth factor called GCSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor). GCSF is a substance greatly decreased in patients with Alzheimer's disease and demonstrated to improve memory in Alzheimer's mice. A just-completed clinical trial at the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute is investigating GCSF treatment to prevent full-blown Alzheimer's in patients with mild cognitive impairment, a condition preceding the disease. The results of that trial are currently being evaluated and should be known soon."Caffeinated coffee provides a natural increase in blood GCSF levels," said USF neuroscientist Dr. Chuanhai Cao, lead author of the study. "The exact way that this occurs is not understood. There is a synergistic interaction between caffeine and some mystery component of coffee that provides this beneficial increase in blood GCSF levels.".... "We believe moderate daily consumption of caffeinated coffee is the best current option for long-term protection against Alzheimer's memory loss. Coffee is inexpensive, readily available, easily gets into the brain, appears to directly attack the disease process, and has few side-effects for most of us."I've toured the Byrd Institute, including the labs, with its director. He was like a proud little kid when he was showing off their brain slicing machine, which, surprisingly (because I get grossed out easily) was pretty cool. Very impressive facility overall. I might like to work there one day.Neither my mother nor my grandfather were coffee drinkers and both wound up with AD even though they otherwise did a great job on staying healthy (good eating habits, exercise, etc). I had stopped drinking coffee in my late 30s when I gave up soda and meat. I started drinking coffee again when early studies suggested benefits against AD.

"There is a catch: people who drink coffee tend to die sooner than non-coffee drinkers. That's because coffee consumption is often linked with other unhealthy behaviors like smoking. So, to add the most years to your life, the next time you're down at the diner, double down on the coffee, but leave the cigarettes out of it."

Still better to drink coffee, and die sooner than to wind up with AD.Even better to drink coffee and live a long, healthy, and happy life without AD.

"There is a catch: people who drink coffee tend to die sooner than non-coffee drinkers. That's because coffee consumption is often linked with other unhealthy behaviors like smoking. So, to add the most years to your life, the next time you're down at the diner, double down on the coffee, but leave the cigarettes out of it."

Still better to drink coffee, and die sooner than to wind up with AD.Even better to drink coffee and live a long, healthy, and happy life without AD.

Ya, the operative phrase being "linked with...unhealthy behavior" like smoking. But for now the best science we currently have out of Byrd (the largest Alzheimer's research facility I believe in the world) is that coffee might help fight against dementia. And they've been saying the same thing about that for many years now, so it's not like the flip flopping of supposed expert opinion that went on with vitamin E (which might have damaged my mom as she heavily dosed with it, per the science of that day) or with aluminum (which stopped me from using antiperspirants 30something years ago).

As to smoking with yer coffee, if coffee doesn't work and I wind up with Alzheimer's, I'm gonna start chain smoking and see if I can't speed up that process a bit.

I've invested a lifetime into consciously exploring my mind. When that ends or reverses, I'm done. Even months before she died, after years of deteriorating, even though she'd still put on a happy face for visitors, especially for her grandchildren, mom was able to confide in me when we were alone that "this is horrendous." Her exact words that she struggled to tell me.

I do not want to live through the dementia that my mom experienced. No thank you. But I will have that 2nd cup of coffee please, easy on the cream & sugar.

True. I don't think I do. I did stop all caffeinated products back in my 30s, not for any specific health issue, just because it seemed a healthier way to live. But I'd probably risk some other issues in an attempt to avoid dementia.

Even some of the supplements I take like B complex, CLA Tonalin & Alpha Lipoic Acid, I don't know what that crap might do to me but I'm told they could be good for the brain so I take them. Whatever possible advantage my grandfather and mother didn't have, I'm gonna try it. I've seen the alternative and it sucks.

One day we're told milk is bad, then it's good, then it's bad again. Next it's eggs, or something else.

After a while, you have to wonder - can we trust ANY of these studies? One contradicts the other, it's merely a matter of time. In my long lifetime I've been told every manner of things to avoid about food that were later rescinded.

"Opps... never mind!"

So why should I believe this latest study? I've been told coffee is bad, is good, is bad, too many times to have any faith in any research. If coffee is good today, tomorrow it will be bad again.